Remarks in Chicago at the Shriners Diamond Jubilee Banquet.

Imperial Sir, distinguished guests:

I have been President of the United States since the 12th of April 1945, about 4 years and 3 months--a little over--and that's the "derndest" introduction I ever heard. I didn't know I would live to hear my epitaph in public, with me right there. And I appreciate it. It pleased me immensely. I didn't know I was all those things, but I hope, Galloway, that I will stay that way in your book.

I appreciate most highly the courtesies which have been extended to me today, particularly the courtesy which United States Senators pray for all their lives and hardly ever get: to make three speeches in one day in one city. I can say that, because I know the psychology of a United States Senator. I was one for 10 years. And I am not reflecting on them, I am just telling you what my own experience is.

Our organization is one of the great contributors to mutual understanding in this great country of ours. You know, we have come a long way from 1789, from thirteen independent colonies to the greatest and most powerful nation in the world in that time-in 160 years. It seems almost incredible. It took Rome more than a thousand years to arrive at that situation. It took Britain more than a thousand years to become one of the great powers.

We have assumed the responsibility, and we are assuming it now. We missed the boat 30 years ago, but we are assuming the responsibility which God Almighty intended that we should assume at that time 30 years ago. It is necessary that we do assume that responsibility for the welfare of the world in generations to come. Had we failed to assume that responsibility, the only thing left for us would be to crawl into our shells and prepare for the destruction of the world, and ourselves with it.

In 1945, on the 12th day of April, we were in the midst of two of the most terrible wars that have ever been fought--the two most terrible wars ever fought in the history of the world; one in the Atlantic in Europe, and the other in the Pacific and the Southwest.

On the 8th day of May--to be accurate the 7th day of May, because it was not announced until the 8th, a day which happened to be my birthday--the German dictatorship folded up. There was wild rejoicing all over this country.

On the 2d day of September, on the battleship Missouri--a battleship which was christened by my daughter Margaret--the Japanese Government signed an unconditional surrender.

The first decision I had to make on the night of April the 12th was on the conference of the United Nations which met in San Francisco on the 25th day of April, and worked out a document for world peace. In ages to come it will be considered one of the greatest documents that the human mind has ever conceived.

I felt, when we had adopted that document, and when hostilities had ceased, that we would arrive at that peace for which we all had prayed since 1941.

It didn't come. It didn't come.

For we found that we had an ally, an ally whose habit it is, and whose habit it has been since 1917, to make agreements for the purpose of breaking them.

Now it is absolutely necessary that we assume the leadership among the democracies of this world, so that there will be enough force in this world to maintain the peace.

That is all we are trying to do.

In 1945, beginning on the 30th day of June, the budget for 1946 called for $103 billions. When Japan folded up after the ad day of September, I canceled $60 billion worth of war contracts in October, and made a rescission of expenditures of $63 billion. Now those are fantastic sums which you cannot comprehend or appreciate, unless you are at the core of the operation of the Government of the United States.

We thought that we would eventually have expenditures down to the point where we could stand it. And then came the cold war--and the European recovery program. All I have asked is that we take one-third-less than one-third--of the cost of cancellation of $60 billion worth of contracts, and revive Europe and Asia for peace. That is all we are asking for. That is all we are asking.

And I am saying to you, which is better, to spend 3, or 4, or 5 billions a year for peace, or to spend a hundred billion dollars a year for another war?

That's all the difference there is. We have got to make up our minds to one or the other.

We are not going to do the one, and we are not going to do the other. We are going to maintain the peace and make the United Nations a going and militant organization for the welfare of the world as a whole.

And we are approaching that situation.

I urged this great Nation and the world today, when I was talking to you at Soldier Field, to go forward with that program and carry it to a successful conclusion.

And I know very well that is exactly what we are going to do.

Thank you very much.